16 Blocks: People can Change
by HayNet
Summary: Dec Jane is a washed up, heartbroken woman of the law who must take witness Eddie Bunker 16 blocks. However many cops including Frank Nugent, the man who broke her heart is trying everything to stop her, including trading bullets.
1. Prolog

**16 Blocks**

**-oOo-**

**Author:** HayNet aka Kayleigh M Charman

**Summery:** Detective Jane McCauley must deliver a witness to a hearing, but a man who had broken her heart is intent on not letting her complete her mission. Will she do the right thing or let her feelings cloud her judgement.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 16 Blocks. This story line is based on the films script but with a few of my own ideas and dialogue.

**Rating:**15

**Language:** Frequent/Strong

**Sex/Nudity:** None

**Violence:** Frequent/Strong

**Other:** Angst


	2. A Very Long Day

**Chapter One**

**A Very Long Day**

**-oOo-**

_My name is Detective Jane McCauley. And I suppose this is my last will and testament. This is for my sister Diane. When this day is over, they will come to you and they will talk to you about this. But what they tell you isn't really what happened, so I hope that you get this and believe me when I say I was trying to do a good thing._

**-oOo-**

It was going to be a bad day. Whenever it rains, it is always a bad day.

I entered the apartment with as much enthusiasm as a cat to a bath. Everything about the place was tacky, from its cheap sofa to the dirty stained wallpaper. Empty beer cans, cigarette butts and junk food wrappers littered every inch of spare room, but most annoyingly a terrible, foul smell of blood and accumulated dirt.

An NYPD officer I knew only by face crossed past me, "Hey. It's all yours, good luck," he said. I forced a tired smile and lumbered further in.

The smell was intoxicating and immediately I noticed the two corpses in the kitchen, one draped casually over a chair, the other lying stone cold on the ground, blood slowly trickling from under his filthy vest.

I looked up and saw fellow Detective Muiz step up to me, "I hate to do this, Jane, but I need you to sit on this until uniforms get here" he said.

"All right" I muttered reluctantly.

"Just hang here, until you're relieved" he added.

"All right" I repeated.

Detective Muiz turned to leave, but said over his shoulder to me "Don't touch anything," he added.

_Yeah_, I thought, _because I need reminding. Jackass._

Finally alone in the dingy apartment, I made my way over to the moth-eaten sofa and threw down today's newspaper onto it, then casually I walked over to the cupboards and began searching for anything containing even the slightest ounce of alcohol. Luckily, stashed away in one of the creaky cabinets, I found a half-empty bottle of tequila and a glass on the counter beside it.

Then I walked over to the grubby window to let in a little air and to hopefully expel some of the rancid smells that occupied the room and settled myself of the least decomposed part of the sofa to pour myself a well-earned drink.

I wasn't in the least bit concerned about drinking on the job. Sometimes it was the only thing that got me through the day, for some reason over the past year the days just stretched out longer and longer and I was beginning to feel more and more like my thirty-two years. And as I sat there, on that moth-eaten sofa, babysitting a couple of corpses. I always began to question whether it was all worth it. I did get any respect from my peers, they often dropped jobs like this on me, jobs that were normally reserved for rookies. But you make one mistake and it plagues you for life. I guess this was my punishment for what I did twelve months ago.

With a slight fuzz in my head and fatigue weighing heavily on my mind, I walked back into the police station to find Grace shifting futivly through a throng of paperwork, she was too involved even to notice me until I stood right under her nose. She pushed her alburn hair out of her eyes as I coughed noisily into my hand.

"Anything for me" I muttered, shoving my hands into my pockets.

Grace felt around her drawers with one hand while her eyes continued to roam across a document she had in her other hand. "Breath mints" she replied, throwing a packet of tic-tacs at me. I caught it in mid-air and felt a slight tang of guilt in the pit of my stomach. Grace was fully aware of my drinking problem, but made it clear she was not one to snitch, which I appreciated, but neither of us made any further attempts to become firmer friends, we never met outside of work, save for work functions and parties, but I don't think that bothered her any more then me.

"Sergeant Cannova called. He wants you to write up this wire request" Grace muttered "He said to make sure you get the right dates on them this time. The particulars are on your desk and he needs it by tonight"

I took the documents she gave me and pocketed the tic-tacs. Mistakenly, I had incorrectly dated the last wire request, probably because of the pit stop to the off license before the morning shift. But I couldn't be bothered to say anything but nod my head to Grace and returned to my desk. Immediately I began fishing about in my desk drawer and disappointingly found an empty bottle of Jack Daniels in a brown paper bag.

_I must remember to get a refill on my way home tonight_, I thought. Frustrated, I threw the bottle in the bin and got a rather disproving look from Grace, who then appeared to have remembered something.

"Hey, Jane. I forgot to tell you, the lieutenant's looking for you" she called, "He wants you to find him right away"

I leaned back in my chair, "Yeah, yeah" I muttered; with absolutely no intention of either finding the lieutenant or signing anymore goddamn papers. I was going home right now. So I gathered my things and checked the clock. Almost eight.

I was just making my way down the stairs when a voice called out to me, "Hey McCauley" it said. I stopped in my place and saw the lieutant lean over the banister.

"Yeah" I replied.

"Did Grace tell you to find me?" he asked, shifting through some files.

"Yeah, just a minute ago" I replied, hoping he would let me slide past. But he didn't.

"All right. I need a favour" he asked. I groaned internally. I just wanted to go home, shove a ready meal in the microwave and watched Paramount with a glass of bourbon until I passed out. Hastily I grabbed the tic-tacs from my pocket and popped a few in my mouth before the lieutenant threw the file he was holding down to me.

"I need you to get this guy from lockup and run him to Centre Street" he explained, "The DA needs him ASAP. He's gotta be in the front of a grand jury before ten"

I looked up at the man, "Er, I signed out" iritation setting in.

Annoyed the lieutenant pulled the file away from me, "Did you sign the sheet?"

"Well, not technically, no. But I mean, I'm signed out" I said begrudgingly.

"Well then, consider yourself on overtime. Captain Gruber called me, he needs this thing done" he said, handing the file to me once more. Stubbornly I refused to take it.

"Don't you got some regular mutt that takes care of this?" I asked.

"I got Keenan. But he's still on the Verrazano. He's behind some overturned truck" He said, flapping the file in front of me again.

I sighed, exhausted. "I'm tired. I mean look, normally, you know me. I don't say no-"

"Yeah, I know you've been working all night, Jane. But who's the detective and who's the lieutenant here?"

I glared at the man. _Asshole pulling rank on me_, I thought.

"Look, I mean Jane. I got nobody else. It's a nothing thing" The lieutenant added, checking his watch desperately, "One hundred and eighteen minutes to get a little haemorrhoid 16 blocks" he added. So defeated, I grabbed the file and the two of us went our separate ways, except instead of going home, I was going to play taxi driver to a witness. Joy.

The lieutenants voice drifted back to me from down the hallway, "I'll let you come in to work late tomorrow!"

"Yeah, yeah" I muttered. The day suddenly appearing impossibly longer.

**-oOo-**

**A/N : I know a lot of people don't really looked at the misc films section, but I would really appreciate any input on this story. Is it worth continuing? Let me know. First time I watched this movie this idea popped in my head, what if Jack's character were female and she had had some kind of relationship with her ex-partner and her feelings interfere with what she is supposed to do.**


	3. Against Protocol

**Chapter Two**

**Against Protocol**

**-oOo-**

"Edward Bunker" I read off the report to the large police officer at the desk. The holding room was small and cramped, not to mention very warm. Files and sweet wrappers littered the desk,

"Yeah. That's me, officer" came a reply from behind the steel bars of the holding cell. I looked over to origin of the voice.

A young black male, probably in his early-thirties was leaning on the bars. He had a slight figure, quite skinny, but probably a very fast runner, and he had no hair to speak of, it looked liked he frequently shaved his head clean.

The police officer handed me back the file, "Come back in an hour" he instructed.

With a frown I put the file on the desk between us, "What do you mean, come back?"

"He's supposed to wear a suit when he leaves" he replied.

"And..." I frowned.

The large officer shrugged, "It's not here yet" he stated.

Frustrated, I sighed, "Just get him out here, all right?" I glared. The officer moved around the desk and grabbed a set of keys.

"They said he'd wear a suit," he mumbled.

"No, yeah. I'm supposed to get a suit. It's a three-piece suit. It's grey" Edward called from his cell. The officer unlocked the door and tightly held the criminals arm as he led him over to me. I flicked through the paperwork idly as Edward continued to talk.

"I'm supposed to have a suit," he pleaded.

"Hey, shut up" the officer instructed, pulling out a white envelope and dropping a few items from it onto the desk, "Here's your property" he added.

"It's not a good sign" Edward muttered, grabbing at his stuff and shoving them in to his pockets. I pulled a pair of handcuffs from my belt, "Hands behind your back" I ordered. Edward reluctantly complied as I strapped his arms together and began to push him out of the room.

"Wait, wait!" he cried, "I can't leave without my book. My book is very important to me," he added.

Frustrated I grabbed the tatty book that sat on the desk and began pushing the man towards the door.

"Why are we rushing like this? It's not a good sign," he muttered.

Someone threw me a set of car keys as we exited the building, the man in my grip mutered something about hating the police but I just ignored him. I was in no mood to start arguing with a petty criminal. I wanted to be home right now. Carefully I sat Edward in the back of the car and he continued to mutter about his suit as I climbed into the drivers seat.

"This suit don't mean nothing to you" he mumbled, "It's makes the difference to me"

Slowly I pulled away from the police station and joined the traffic, aching for another shot of Jack Daniels or Sambuca.

"These cars don't ever change, huh?" Edward said, looking around the vehicle, "Traditional cruisers. And the same retarded hump in the middle" he sniffed the air, "Smell the same way, like Lysol and vomit"

Angrily I beeped my horn as a car pulled out in front of me. God, I was in no mood for this. It was unfair that three months as a Detective, I was still doing the menial tasks I was doing back when I was just an officer. I thought back to the reason why and felt a coldnes sweep over me.

_Don't think about it_, I reminded myself. _It was over a year ago. You don't need to think about _him_. Or what happened_.

"Hey lady" Edward called, "Let me ask you something. I'm trying to figure this out. You're driving along in your hurricane, right? There's three people at the bus stop, yeah. One is an old lady. She's sick, she about to die. The second one is your best friend; he saved your life, right? And the third is the love of your life. Right, but check it out, you've only got space in the car for one person, right? Who you take?" he asked. I beeped my horn, pretending not to listen.

"It's a riddle that's supposed to tell what type of person you are" he carried on. I drew my arm back and pulled across the partition between Edward and myself. Longing for the silence. It was bad enough giving up my evening to baby-sit some criminal, but to have to listen to him rambling on about God-only-knows-what. It was pure torture.

"Good" came a muffled reply, "I guess there's my answer"

I beeped again as the traffic began to build up. I was getting tired; I felt hot in the car and tried the air conditioning. But typically it wasn't working. I dabbed my forehead with a tissue I kept in my pocket and looked at my reflection in the rear-view mirror. My eyes were looking bloodshot and hollow, as if I hadn't slept in over two weeks. My skin was pale and in good need of a little sun, but it had been years since I had gone anywhere hot enough to get a suntan. I pulled my brown tresses behind my ears. Normally I put my hair in a ponytail, but today I had experienced a rare good hair day, so decided to let it lie flat down my back. I ran a hand down my creased white blouse and rolled up the arms to get some air to my bare skin.

"I'm gonna be alright" Edward muttered, "I'm where I'm supposed to be. I ain't got my suit, but once they get my testimony, they drop my charges. I'm free. That makes sense to me, I believe in that. Being in the right place, being where you're supposed to be. Do you believe in that?" he asked.

"I believe life's too long and guys like you make it even longer" I replied.

"Life's too long?" Edward repeated in surprise, "Damn. That's some cold shit. I ain't never heard nobody say no shit like that. Usually you hear about people trying to make their life longer, you know? You sound a little depressing or something. You all right?" he asked.

Though I didn't doubt his sincerity, I didn't answer. Of course I was depressed, but there was no way I was going to tell him that. My eyes roamed to the shops lining the road and I saw what I needed, a liqueur store. Pulling over I stopped the car and turned off the engine.

"You stopping?" Edward asked, a little alarmed, "This ain't the courthouse, what you doing?"

I got out of the car despite the man's protests, "Hey this shit ain't funny, lady! I got an appointment!" and locked the car before I made my way into the store rolling my eyes as Edward continued to shout at me through the window of the car.

The store was small and it was dark, hardly any light penetrated the dark corners, but there was alcohol. I ignored the whine of the radio and grabbed a bottle of tequila. The elderly Chinese couple at the counter smiled as I made my purchase. I grabbed the change and pocketed it before exited the shop. I glanced over at my car and to my surprise saw a stranger tapping his knuckles on the window, trying to get Edwards attention. I frowned then gasped as I saw the stranger pull out a gun, I dropped my bottle of tequila and pulled my own pistol from my holster and aimed it at the back of the man's head and fired.

Screams erupted as the body fell against the door of my car and landed in a bloody mess on the road. Immediately my eyes scanned the area, trying to find any more shooters, and to my dismay, not far back in the traffic queue, a large black van sat, another man was hanging out of the window, holding a pistol into the air and shooting blindly. My heart pumping, I ran into the road, nearly getting hit by an oncoming taxi, I pulled the dead man away from the car and jumped into the drivers seat. I heard more bullets hit the back of my car and the back window shattered. Hastily I put the car in reverse and slammed on the accelerator, knocking into the shooter, I put the car back into gear and wheel span away from the area.

I crossed over into a line of traffic and ended up at a dead end. Grabbing my gun I hauled myself out of the car and dragged Edward with me.

"Help me!" he cried as I pulled him along "My book!" he cried. Desperately I grabbed his stupid book and held my gun over his shoulder as I pulled him along with me. My eyes darting desperately around me. _What the fuck was going on?_ I pushed Edward into a parking attendants booth and grabbed the phone on the desk, trying to hold my gun up and dial at the same time. The phone was dead.

"Shit!" I yelled and pushed Edward back out, hauling down an alleyway. People were standing outside, wondering what al the noise was about, I pushed Edward up a fire escape and through the back door of _Dominic's Bar_, one of my own haunts, familar ground.

The building was one of those traditional places, dark painted walls, all sorts of memorabilia on the walls. Dominic himself was leaning on the bar, his large bulky figure in his usual plaid shirt, thick glasses and woolly watch cap.

"Dominic" I said, grabbing his attention "Get these people out of here right now"

There were about five customers, all in difference stages of drunkenness, but they saw my gun and went running for the exit.

"Jesus, Janie! What the hell's going on?" Dominic asked.

"You too, Dominic!" I shouted, shoving Edward down on a chair.

"All right" the large man surrendered and confused, ran for the door as well. I walked around the back of the bar, resting my gun on the counter and grabbed the phone, hastily dialling. I heard another voice on the end of the phone.

"Yeah, this is Detective Jane McCauley. Shield number 227. I am 10-13 at…hold on a minute" I put my hand over the receiver, "Dominic!" I yelled, grabbing the mans attention before he left, "What's the address here?"

"133 Mulberry!" Came the reply. I repeated it into the phone. Once back up was confirmed I hung up and grabbed the nearest bottle of booze from behind the bar. Breathing heavily, I leant against the bar. Edward sat uncomfortably on the chair doing the same, fear etched into his face.

"Are they coming?" he asked.

Ignoring him, I poured myself a drink.

"I don't know why you stopped, lady. I don't know why you would do that" he shook his head. I tipped the drink down my throat, wondering the same thing. But hadn't the lieutenant told me it was a nothing thing? He didn't say anything about someone trying to kill Eddie or me for that matter. _God I wish I hadn't stopped_.

Putting the bottle back down, I took a sharp swig of the drink and looked at Edward. "They said you were nobody" I replied. So why the hell had people just been shooting at us? This wasn't right at all.

"I ain't nobody" Edward replied.

"Shut up" I muttered, not wanting to deal with his lies right now. I took another swig and prayed that back up would arrive soon.

"You need to stop drinking, that's what you need" Edward muttered.

"Shut. Up" I said sharply, my mind of fire, my heart racing. This was supposed to be a simply drop off. What the hell happened? In the distance I heard sirens growing nearer and nearer and the screech of brakes.

Not a few minutes later, the back door that we had used had opened and the sounds of footsteps announced the arrival of my back up. I tensed.

"Jane?" came a familiar voice. My blood froze and my mind refused to think for a second or two. It was Frank Nugent.

A year ago, he had been my partner, someone I respected and trusted with my life, but after a time I saw past his cool, edgy exterior and begant to feel something more then friendship for him.

After a while, I had been unable to hold those feelings in and stupidly confessed them to him. He'd been polite in turning me down, smiling and joking, but there was something almost teasing and cruel in the way he did it, that made me question his morality.

I made him promise not mention my confession to anyone but then the next day I was called into the Captain's office.

Frank had told him everything.

But what hurt most was his suggestion that he thought it would be best to split us up. Completely humiliated, I avoided anyone's eye and hurried out of the office, and in a sick twist of fate bumped into Frank on my way to my desk. He assured me there were no hard feelings, but he had to do it. I nodded; averting my gaze, just wishing the floor would eat me up there and then. But it didn't and I had to deal with the whispers and rumours that floated around for months after that. And whenever I saw Frank after that, he always smiled, like he was laughing in his mind at me. I couldn't help how I felt. And even now, a year on, feelings still shone for that man, despite how he treated me. I hadn't spoken to him since, and by cruel fate again, it seemed that he had answered my back up call.

Since he had broken my heart, I hadn't seen him to speak to for almost a year. Of course we caught each other eye now and again and he always smiled politely, as if he was aware I ached with both shame and longing.

"Jane?" he asked again.

"Yes, I'm here" I replied, watching as Frank came across the bar, followed by two other Detectives I knew as Robert 'Bobby' Torres and Jimmy Mulvey. Torres was a large man with thick dark eyebrows and a matching mostache. His eyes were always set in a frown which made him look intimidating, something I was sure he was aware of. Mulvey was an equally matched well built block of muscle, however he had no hair on his bald brown head and his eyes were distinctly kinder and he often sent a smile my way when I passed him in the office.

Frank, as usual, carried himself better then the others. He was fit for a man of his age and only looked better over the years. His hair was cut short and was a seasoned salt and pepper. His eyes though were mesmorising, a deep blue that pulled you in whenever you looked into them. I found myself getting pulled in myself so blinked and snapped my eyes away and back at the bottle of booze in my hand, but I caught him smiling, flashing his pearly whites and ran a hand throwing his hair.

_Damn_, age definitely agreed with him, he looked better then ever, especially in his sharp suit. I averted my gaze and nervously tapped my fingers on the empty glass in front of me. All those familiar feelings for him rushing back and causing my face to flush and feel burnt.

"You okay?" Frank asked, pointing to the spot of blood on my creased shirt.

"Yeah. It's not mine" I replied timidly.

"I heard it was you, got here as soon as we could" he replied and turned to see Edward sitting on the chair.

"Oh, hi" he smiled, "You all right?" he asked.

"Yeah" Edward muttered, looking from Frank back to me, confusion on his face.

"Having fun" he smiled. Edward frowned and shook his head, "No? Oh, well" he turned back to me and holstered his pistol, "What's up, Jane?" he asked.

"Hi, Frank" I nodded pleasantly, gulping down the discomfort of the situation, but the man before seemed none to deterred at all. He graciously took my hand and shook it, I starred confused but nodded.

"You did a really great, great job, Jane" he said to me, letting go of my hand. I shrunk back a bit, fearing being this close to the man I what? Loved? "Got yourself a bad guy" he added, and confidently he rubbed my back affectionatly, I found the contact uncomfortable and gingerly moved to the side. Frank's hand froze in mid-air and he clicked his tongue sensing my discomfort. I looked down at the counter, Frank stepped away from me, thankfully.

"We got the second shooter half a block from here. So it's done," he confirmed.

I sighed, both relieved that it was over but wishing Frank would stop looking at me.

"Sure you're okay?" he asked, catching sight of the bottle in my hand. I wish I could have taken another drink.

"Yeah" I lied, "Just catching my breath"

"Well, why don't you let us take it from here?" Frank asked. I looked at him questionably. That wasn't protocol. What was he doing?

"Oh yeah" Edward agreed, possibly glad to get rid of the drunken woman responsible for getting his ass shot at.

"We'll get the kid where he belongs and you have to worry about a thing" Frank said. I starred. Why would he do that? He hadn't spoken to me for a year and now he was offering to do my job for me?

"Yes please" Edward agreed, "Please, please officer. That's a very good idea, because honestly. I don't think this ladies doing too good. I told her not to stop, but she did. Then the dude came up to the window and I have a very important appointment" but then someone else stepped into the room that caused Eddie to act very strangely. He suddenly went very quiet, averted his gaze and dropped back into his seat. I watched as Detective Shue walked into the room, his gaze locked onto the side of Eddie's head.

Shue was one of Frank's best friends. He was beefy, not as fit as Frank himself. He had thick dark hair and an equally dark and thick mostache, an accessory popular amoung the older detectives. All of them wore tidy suits and haulsters just about visable under their jackets. I looked a mess in my bloody long sleeved shirt and black trousers. I even slipped on a pair of black trainers instead of the regulation style black workshoes. I tucked my hair behind my ear and pulled my shirt down to try and uncrease the wrinkles.

"Hey, Jane" Shue smiled at me, I nodded. Curious as to why the detectives jaw cracked as he looked back at Edward. The criminal turned his attention to the floor.

"Come on, now" Frank said, pushing the bottle of alcohol into my hand, "You take this, we'll get you out of here, all right? Get some sleep" he flashed another smile that made me weak at the knees. _Damn him_.

I looked over at Shue; I really didn't like the way he was looking at Edward. Something here was very wrong, and why was Frank being so pushy?

"Jane?" Frank asked. I put the bottle of booze back down the bar. Frank took it as a sign of refusal, so he leaned over the bar and beckoned me closer. I complied, finding the closeness almost unbearable.

"This kid" he said, "was gonna testify against Shue" he explained, "He saw Shue doing some business. Now we both know he's never been a stand-up guy like you and me. He'll roll over, they indict him. We can't have that," he added, "No. It's gonna hurt a lot of us"

Shue stepped forward and pulled Edward to his feet. The man was evidently scared but complied anyway. His cuffs were removed.

Frank was still starring at me, "This whole thing caught us completely unaware"

Shue took the book that Edward kept close to his chest and dropped it on the table and grabbed Edward's chin, yanking the young mans face towards him, but Eddie pulled away, sweat dripping from his brow.

"It was supposed to be Teach's nephew driving him" Frank explained "But he got stuck out there in traffic, who knows where. And then the lieutenant pegged you"

I saw Shue take his gun and loaded it.

"You know, you were just in the wrong place and the wrong time. All right. Now, you know that I would never put you in a position like this, right? You know that, huh?"

Shue pressed the gun into Edward's hand and with his own, lifted Eddie hand and the gun into the air and fired it, causing both Edward and I to jump. I could not believe what I was seeing unfolding in front of me. Shue dropped the gun on the floor.

"This is how it goes. You pop the guys trying to spring the kid. The kid gets your gun. And he takes you hostage. So we came in and save the day," Frank explained.

Edward was shaking his head, fear in his eyes. I couldn't help but feel sorry for him, despite how much of a pain in the ass he was.

"Now this could be a good thing for you, Jane" Frank explained, I looked up at him "Get you back where you belong" he added with a smile.

Shue pulled out another gun as the other detectives held Edward down on the ground. He began to plead.

I don't know what made me do it, maybe it was Eddie's pleas, or the helpless innocent look in his eye, but I knew I could not let Frank and his men kill Eddie in cold blood. So I felt around and found the shotgun Dominic kept under the bar. Grabbing it I fired through the bar and hit Shue in the leg, knocking him to the ground.

The other detectives went to pull their own weapons out, but I held the shotgun up and aimed it right at them. Edward sat up and grabbed his head in shock.

I aimed the gun at Frank over the counter, but he just starred at me, something like disappointment in his eyes. "This changes everything, Jane" he said sadly. I nodded.

"Over here" I ordered, pointing over to the other detectives. I followed Frank around the bar and checked on Edward.

"Eddie, get up. Come on" I said. The man grabbed his book as he got to his feet and smacked Shue painfully on the bullet wound with his book before jumping behind me.

"All right, Jane" Frank said, "It's eight, twenty-five"

"You stay there" I instructed, holding the gun level with his head as we backed towards the door.

"Listen" Frank continued, "The jury's tenure ends at ten. If the kid get there one minute past, all this, it doesn't matter. And all you gotta do, is look the other way"

I frowned, pushing Edward further back to open the door.

"Jane, Jane, Jane, Jane" Frank sang affectionately, "Just let me help you"

"Back up" I ordered.

"Jane. Once you go out that door. I can't help you" Frank pleaded. I was almost convinced it was genuine.

"Please Frank" I begged, "Just back up, please"

Frank smiled, "You know you can't shoot me, I know"

"Back up" I ordered again. The smile vanished from Frank's lips as I pushed Edward back out the door and quickly followed suit, running for our lives.

**-oOo-**

**A/N : Wow, I was getting really carried away this story, I love this film, just had to add another chappie. Enjoy.**


	4. Crossing Lines

**Chapter 3**

**Crossing Lines**

**-oOo-**

Edward seemed to read my mind as we began piling anything we could get our hands on up against the wall, just as we pushed the last plank of wood into place, someone on the other side began throwing their whole weight against the door. I could hear shouting.

"Go! Go!" I screamed, pushing Edward down the steps just as shots began to echo around us. Both Eddie and I ran out of the alleyway and joined the rest of the pedestrian traffic. I couldn't believe what was happening. Frank had shot at me. What the hell was going on?

"What the hell did you see?" I demanded, grabbing Edward and hauling him alongside me. I was beginning to get out of breath already, the alcohol dulling my senses.

"That cop back there" Eddie began as they jogged along, "I seen him around my way holding a gun in this little Puerto Rican kid's mouth. He said he'd kill his mother if he testified" he added.

I hauled Eddie across the road with me and hastily dropped the shotgun in a dumpster, Eddie paused but I hauled him along.

"What you doing that for? We need that!" he cried. I tugged him along.

"The shell in that gun was over twenty years old. Lucky it went off at all" I called, diving into a crowd of people, "They didn't tell you Shue was a cop, right?"

"No, they didn't tell me" Edward replied, staying close by, "They showed me a picture, that was it"

I laughed despite the situation, "Well congratulations, because you're about to testify against one of New York's worst" I added.

"Oh man" he replied as we plunged deeper in the crowds. I looked around desperately, knowing that any of Frank's men could pop out at us at anytime. We had both walked these streets back when we had been partners, we knew the roads, the streets, the alleyways, even where to look out for dog crap on the pavement, but never had I been trying to avoid the very people I had counted as my friends and my comrades. Frank had tried to kill me, I had to get that into my head before I got myself and Eddie killed. He was relying on me now to save his life, just as I was trying to save my own. But it appeared I had got it wrong.

"Look" Eddie started, slowing down slightly to catch his breath enough to talk, "I appreciate what you did for me back there, but I'm starting to think you're not the right person for this. I mean, you're out of breath, you're hung-over. That ain't a good sign" he rambled.

"Come on" I snapped dragging him into my own apartment building. I needed time to think and to be quiet. Of course this would the first place Frank and his cronies would look, but we had enough time.

I pushed into my flat, it was dark inside and still messy from when I moved in five months ago. Boxes littered the hallway which was hardly wide enough for two people anyway. The kitchen led off to the left as soon as you entered the flat which joined onto a small diningroom/living area, straight ahead was the bathroom, but the room I needed was my bedroom so I hopped over a box of books and marched into my bedroom. It was tiny, only big enough for a double bed which housed most of my clothes and a desk littered with paperwork and the few items of makeup I owed.

"Where your bathroom at?" Eddie called from the hallway.

"Turn left" I called back, grabbing a red duffel bag from the small cupboard next to the head of my bed and hauling it onto the unmade bed. God, how I would have done anything to have stayed in it this morning. I ripped open the bag and pulled out the small pistol I kept there for emergencies. Now would definitely fall under _that _category.

I shoved the gun in my waistband and felt an overwhelming urge to just ball my eyes out. I had risked so much right now, and for a complete stranger. Edward wasn't anything to me, in fact, he irritated the hell out of me, but I had shot a cop, I had held a gun to Frank's head. And all because I could not look away.

I thought I knew Frank, I thought he was a good guy, but instead he was a murderer, yet my brain was not yet willing to comprehend what that meant. Would he kill me if he had to? Of course, he didn't care about me, he had been trying to use my feelings to get what he wanted, which was Eddie.

Speaking of who, Eddie was standing in the doorway, a calculated look on his face as he starred at me, trying to work something out.

"Hey, Jane" he said, I ignored him and shoved the duffel bag back in the cupboard.

"Jane McCauley" Eddie repeated. I stood up straight and starred at him. Eddie shook his head, Why did you do that?" he asked.

I looked at him, afraid to see my own death and destruction in his eyes, but he looked so sympathetic and genuine, I could not be made at him for making me choose.

"Do what?" I asked, though I knew the answer.

"Shoot that cop" he answered, "You know cops don't shoot other cops. Especially over nobody like me" he added sadly.

I nodded unable to answer, he was right, what the hell was I doing? But right now I just had to concentrate on getting us both out of here alive, so I got Eddie to stand in the bedroom while I waited in the kitchen, for the poor sap who had been sent here to take me out. I was still a cop and I knew that was what Frank would do, it was what I would do too.

It didn't take long for the door to creak open, Eddie was giving an impressive performance in the other room, talking random crap to make it seem like I was in there with him. It was Torres from _Dominic's Bar. _

He popped his head round the corner and came in direct eye contact with the end of my gun. His face fell and he automatically dropped the weapon. I kicked it to the side and hauled him by the scruff of his jacket into the kitchen and towards to decorative pillar that seperated the kitchen from the living room.

I yanked his handcuffs from his back pocket and ordered the cop to cuff his hands around it.

"Come on, McCauley" Torres said, "Just give it up"

I reached over and made sure his hands were tightly secured before calling Eddie back into the room. The man was nervously pacing now, mumbling nonsense to himself. It was beginning to grate on my nerves again.

I heard a ringing coming from Torres' pocket.

"Where's your phone?" I asked.

"The left hand side" he replied with a sigh. I dug around in his pocket and pulled out the phone, "They know I'm here, if I don't answer it…"

I hung up on the caller and pocketed the phone. "Come on Eddie, let's go!" I called, but there was no reply. I checked behind me and found the front door wide open.

"Shit" I breathed and rushed out throwing myself down the stairs and out of the building and frantically looking around trying to find any sign of the little punk.

I was raging mad, I was trying to save that little son-of-a-bitch and he ran out on me? What the hell?

I walked fast through the crowds, aware of a beeping noise coming from my pocket, I jammed my hand in and pulled Torres' phone out then held it to my ear.

"Bob" came a familiar voice on the other end.

"Bob's a little tied up right now" I replied, surprised by my own gall.

"Jane? Well I'm impressed. Tell me, did you shoot him too?" he replied. I looked around, still no sign of Eddie or Frank.

"Jane, sweetheart. You're not up to this. This will end bad for you, I don't want that, do you?" he asked. I could hear the sweetness in his voice but I didn't reply straight away, instead I jumped up onto the bonnet of a parked car and began frantically checking around at all the faces that came and went along the pavement. Frrank obviously sensed the problem and laughed.

"Oh! You lost the kid, didn't you? He bailed on you. Well you know what? That is the best thing that could have happened, so why don't you go home? And just forget about what happened. We'll take it from here"

I didn't know what compelled me to ignore his advise. He was right of course, Edward had bailed on me, he didn't want my help, I was in so shape nor state to save the guy. I was better off just walking away, but something kept me looking, something made my eyes score the crowds, looking for that man.

"We're going to find him, Jane. Got that? Now you can hang up" and the line suddenly went dead. I pocketed the phone again and looked down the street.

"Where are you, you asshole?" I whispered and ran down to the subway.

I was already wearing thin, and my mind was blank but for Edward. I dived down the stairs, bolting passed the normal comuters and streamed down onto the platform, I halted and glanced around, I saw the back of a bald head and my heart lept as I recognised him.

"Eddie!" I called, rushing up to him. Edward was not in the least bit pleased to see me. He began backing up and waving his hands in front of him, trying to ward me off.

"Oh no!" he said.

"What are you doing?" I demanded angrily "Why the hell are you running away from me?"

"Look, lady. It's too much, too much. I'm doing the rest on my own!"

"If I can find you, they can find you!" I snapped, wipping the sweat off of my forehead, "Listen to me, I'm your only friend right now"

Eddie shook his head, "No, you're not my friend"

"I can do this!" I cried, not sure what was compelling me to prove myself to him. But maybe it wasn't for him, maybe it was for me. Facing Frank after all this time was compelling me to prove that I was not pathetic, I could be a good cop.

"Friend? You don't even know me!" he yelled in my face, "You gonna get me shot! Ever since I've been with you, people been trying to shoot me. People you know!"

"I can't let you leave" I said just as the train began to pull up, Eddie moved further towards the train as the doors began to roll over.

"I'm going Jane. Thank you, I'm going" he said backing into the train. I followed him in.

"Stop!" I yelled, but he refused to listen so I pushed him all the way into the train, trying to get him to calm down. I grabbed his shirt.

"Eddie!" I shouted, but for some reason both our attention were drawn further down the train. Getting on board was one of Frank's men, Kaller, he looked up to see what the arguing was about and realisation hit his face as he saw who we were.

"Okay, okay, okay. We gotta go!" Eddie said and both of us leapt out of the train just as it began to move off. We dived through the crowds, shouting at people to get out of the way, we ran up the way I had come, back into the busy streets and broad, blinding sunlight. I grabbed Eddie's shoulder and began to steer him through the crowds.

"What are you doing?" he asked. I raised my hand out into the road.

"Taxi!" I shouted. Typically none would stop so we began to jog down the road again.

"Jane McCauley. I'm where I'm supposed to be" Eddie said, "I was wrong, you're the right guy. I could've got someone else, but I got you. I appreciate it, you're the right guy" he finished.

I could barely register what he was saying to me, my head kept turning this way and that to make sure we weren't being followed. Myy heart was racing, I needed a drink, but I had never felt so alert. This was a hunt and we were the prey. Swiftly I moved us down into Chinatown, hoping the mass hubbub would keep us off the radar for long enough.

We slowed to a fast walk, Eddie held his book tightly to his chest, I nodded towards it, "What's the deal with that book?" I asked

"It's my business plan" he replied, "I'm moving to Seattle, my sister's already living out there. I'm gonna open up a bakery, like a specialty bakery. You know, like birthday cakes for little kids. There's a lot of money in that" he waffled on, "How about this, I gonna send you a birthday cake on your birthday"

"I hate birthday cake" I stated.

"Hate birthday cake?" he repeated confused, as if the words were foreign to him.

"The first thing that doesn't go your way you're going to be slipping into Carol's Clip and Curl and stealing all her hair care products because you're a thief Eddie, and that's what you are, a thief" I added bluntly.

"Whoa. People can change, Jane" he said defensively.

I shook my head, "Days change, seasons change. Not people" I replied, turning us both down Doyers street at a quick pace. We walked along in silence for a few seconds while I tried to take in everything down the street, my eyes roamed the faces and the cars until finally I recognised one of Frank's own men, hopping out of a parked car. Desperately I grabbed Eddie and looked down another road and true enough, right down the end was Frank, hands in his pockets, looking casual as he tried to sniff us out.

I looked down at the cell phone in my hand. _Bastards were tracking me_, I thought and carelessly dropped the device on the ground. I hauled Eddie across the street and into a small hairdressers, the small Chinese ladies looked at us in shock as we marched right through the shop, Eddie feverishly apologising for the intrusion. We made out way through the back door into stairwell that led upwards; quickly we followed the steps and exited out onto the roof.

Gingerly I walked over to the ledge, I saw the tops of people's heads and right down below a congregation of six suited men in heated discussion caught my eye, Frank Nugent among them. Quickly they split up and began walking in different directions.

"Look, I've gotta be down there" said Eddie, pointing down town, "You understand?" he began twittering on again as I made my way across the room towards another set of stairs going back down into the buildings below. Eddie followed close behind as we made our way across another roof.

Suddenly a shot rang out and a pain shot through my hand, I dived to the ground followed closely by Eddie.

I fell near the stairwell, and despite the pain I kicked the door opened and shouted at Eddie to get in. He dived and ducked as he threw himself through the door as I rolled around so I could swing my body after him. The pain in my hand was excruciating and the blood was steadily pouring out all down my once white blouse but I used my good hand to pull my gun back out of my trousers to shoot at the attacker, a few more shots rang out before I fired a few in the direction of the shooter.

As the shots silenced, Eddie grabbed my leg and pulled the rest of me into the building. I slammed the door closed behind me and told Eddie to lock the door.

I leaned against it, hissing with pain as more blood slipped from my hand onto the floor. Eddie grabbed the handkerchief that was tucked in my pocket and wrapped the wound tightly, ignoring my cries of pain.

"Come on" he shouted and we both jumped down the stairs and back out into the street. I tucked my weapon close to my side and held my wounded hand close. I turned us into an alleyway where a door led into the back of an old building.

"You okay?" Eddie asked as I pushed him in, I nodded and followed him in. We seemingly entered the kitchen of a Chinese restaurant. The chefs looked at us but seemingly didn't care much for them and just let us pass without question.

"Jane, what are we doing? Where're we going?" Eddie asked. I carried on through the rooms, whincing as I caught my hand on a metal pole. We entered a sweatshop, women were sitting by sewing machines and white linin was strung up on the walls. I pushed through another door.

"Jane! How do we even know this is the right direction? Jane, we gotta-" but Eddie was interrupted as gunfire exploded nearby, bullets ripping into the thin linen material. Eddie and I dived to the ground.

"Go!" I shouted to Eddie, who was on his feet in minutes and threw himself at the back door that stood a few feet in front of us. I rolled over and squeezed off a few rounds before jumping to my feet and following. Eddie was sitting beside the slide door, evidently waiting for the cops to follow.

I limped down next to him just as a hand holding gun came into view; Eddie slammed the door shut on the hand, causing the owner to scream in pain and drop his weapon. Copying I put my own weight against the door, adding to the man's cries for help. I grabbed my gun and held it through a crack in the cement, I fired off a few rounds and heard someone else shout, the arm was pulled back and Eddie shut the door, locking it tightly behind us.

I looked around, we we in some kind of back room that looked barely used. The dark paint was peeling and there were cobwebs, dust and dirt everywhere. The small room we were in led into another room, but to our left there was old looking lift, I jammed my thumb on the button and heard the cogs groan and whirl but nothing moved.

Suddenly another gunshot seared the air right near my head.

I dived to the side to get out the way and shot a few rounds myself before taking cover behind a wall. I collapsed against it, Eddie rested beside me, his eyes wide with terror.

I heard someone breathing on the other side of the wall.

"You alright Jane?" came Frank's voice.

I could have laughed at the dumbass question. But chose to hiss in pain as I put weight on my wounded hand.

"You okay?" asked but didn't give me time to answer. "You know" Frank said, "I was aiming for the kid, if that makes you feel better"

"Well you missed!" Eddie shouted angrily. Another two shots rang through the air and Eddie flattened himself on the ground, shielding his head with his hands. I glared at him. _Idiot_.

"That kid is gonna get you killed, sweetheart" Frank said, "Is he worth that?"

I ignored him, trying to bide the time to think of a plan and try to come to terms with the fact that is was Frank Nugent shooting at me. My ex-partner, it was uncomprehendable.

"Well I've got all day" he jested, "Do you got all day?"

I checked my watch, it was now ten to nine. Shit.

"Jane, you still there?" Frank asked.

"Yeah. Still here" I replied weakly. Wishing I wasn't. I heard Frank put another clip into his gun.

"Well this is awkward" he said after an uncomfortable silence. I chuckled to myself, Eddie frowned at me, I tightened the handkerchief around my hand and groaned in pain. "When I stared this day" Frank continued, "I never figured on trading 9 mils with my friend" he finished, shoving another clip into his gun.

I sighed, resting my head on the wall, "Even if that were true, we stopped being friends back at that bar" I answered. I could hear Frank chewing gum through the wall and wondered when he would strike again.

"No" Frank replied, "No, that's got going to eraise the time we had together"

I almost laughed but scoffed instead. Frank had hardly acted like a friend, he had been the one to dobb me into the Captain, he had rejected me, humiliated me. How could there be anything between us now? He was trying to kill me and Eddie for fucks sake!

"Nope, we're still friends" Frank said assuringly. I shook my head, Eddie sat quietly beside me, catching his breath. I hardly wanted him to know what had happened between Frank and I, but if Frank was going to pull that, if he was going to try and use my feelings on me, he had another thing coming.

"Look" Frank started, "I did a harsh thing back then, and if I could I'd take a lot of it back. But I can't"

I wished I could believe him and deep down I think a part of me did, but I saw Eddie, sitting clutching his legs to him and realised this wasn't about Frank and I, it was about Frank trying to kill an innocent man. Well…maybe not innocent, but certainly not deserving of the fate Frank had chosen for him. But I couldn't stand to listen to him regretting his actions back then, how he broke my heart, did he mean it? Was he just bullshitting? I didn't know and it tore me up inside.

"Lines were crossed" I said sadly, feeling the emotion well up inside.

"What lines?" Frank asked, glad to have me back in the conversation.

"You heard me!" I cried, "Lines were crossed, Frank"

"What lines?" Frank shouted in fustration, "There are no lines! You put the bad guys away, no matter what it takes"

I sighed in fustration and banged the back of my head against the wall I leant against.

"Now you're going to ruin the lives of six cops" said Frank, "Good cops, good men. Are you ready to sacrifice their lives for that kid?"

I looked at Eddie, he still looked terrorifed, as if he were worried I may turn on him, but that was not on my agenda. And I had to make Frank see it before it was too late, before one of us was forced to hurt the other.

"This is not about me ruining anybody's life, Frank" I replied sternly, "This is about you. You hear me?" I demanded.

I could almost see the smile on Frank face, he had never seen or heard me this assertive before. Back in the day, I used to hang on his every word, I used to do anything to please him and felt rotten if I disappointed. Well, this was the new me, the new 'don't-take-any-crap' me. And Frank wasn't going to win.

"Yeah" Frank replied "But did you look at that kids jacket?" he asked.

I felt Eddie shift nervously beside me.

"I did. Armed robbery, assault, beats old women" Frank explained, but Eddie interrupted him with a torrent of excuses and angrily denied any of it.

"Shut up. Shut up" I hissed at him.

Frank laughed, "Oh, no. Don't tell him to shut up. No, Jane. Listen to him, he's sharp that kid. Yeah. He's playing you. He's sharper then you are. He's telling you stories, right? He wants to be a good citizen, right? Go to church, buy his mother a house. But he has spent more then half his life in prison" Frank explained.

I looked over at Eddie who shrugged. But Frank had not finished.

"Two hours ago, he was sitting in a cell for weapons possession"

Eddie furiously shook his head at me, Frank continued, "He's always gonna do what he has done" he shouted, "He's a career criminal and that's who you're protecting! Now if you can't see how wrong this is, I promise you I will speak from my heart when I give the eulogy at your funeral"

"Oh Jesus" I whispered. _Son-of-a-bitch_.

"So do you believe the kid? Or do you believe your ex-partner?"

I looked at Eddie, caculating my options. Frank would kill me to get to Eddie, that was almost fact. Eddie wasn't an innocent, that was for sure, but he hadn't meant me any harm and as far as I could see, he wouldn't hurt anyone that didn't mean him harm. But Frank was my ex-partner, he had been my friend he had taught me the fucking ropes. Jesus! What was I going to do?

But as I looked back at Eddie's pleading face as he silently tried to prove himself to me through his eyes, I realised I had already made my choice.

"Only thing is" said Frank, "If you believe the kid, you've got a choice to make"

I nodded to Eddie and slowly we got to our feet as Frank continued to talk, backing away from the wall, but I still kept my gun trained on the part of the wall where Frank was.

"Or do you choose door number two…"

Eddie began to jab at the lift button frantically, "…and go back to where you came, with your shot up hand?" added Frank.

The lift slowly made it's way down; I nodded to Eddie who followed me slowly towards the lift door. Eddie put his hand on the door.

"You're not going to go very far, Jane" Frank said, "And what if your ex-partner is right? What if he is right and you're wasting your whole miserable life?"

I nodded to Eddie and both of us jumped into the lift, just as gun fire rang out from Frank's direction. I fired back and closed the door, both Eddie and I dropped to the ground listening to the thundering gunfire.

As we rose up I heard glass smash and bullet began to ricashae from under us. I groaned as I leaned on my wounded hand again, Eddie was looking around frantically as we heard someone shouting out 'police' from all around.

It seemed forever till the lift finally stopped and Eddie helped me out, gently pulling me by the arm. We entered a long corridor, nervously I looked down both ways and held my gun out in front of me as we sprinted down the hallway, my hand was throbbing painfully as I held the gun ahead of me, but I did my best to ignore it as we reached the end of the corridor to a dead end.

Eddie began tapping on the nearest apartment door, "Hello? Hello?" he called as I stood guard, my eyes swivelling from the end of the corridor then out of the window down into Chinatown. I heard the latch of a door and the face of an old Asian man popped into view.

"Please, please help" Eddie begged. The old man closed the door but opened it soon after. Eddie waved for me to join him and thanked the old man profusely.

Finally, I thought, something is going our way.

**-oOo-**

**A/N : I've had a few hits with this fic, so let me know what you think, even if you think it's a load of bollocks! I just need some feedback.**


	5. Loaded

**Chapter Four**

**Loaded**

**-oOo-**

Once the door was locked behind us, I took in the kind old gentleman who had let us into his home. He was rather small and hunched with a pointed white beard and tufts of hair on the sides of his head. He wore a simple old cream cardigan and smart dark trousers. His apartment was rather dull, old floral wallpaper, cheap tacky cupbards and furniture but my eyes rested on the telephone resting on the table.

I thanked the man and grabbed the phone perched on the arm of a sofa, Eddie was blubbering on again about signs but someone had already picked up the phone on the other end after I dialled the number.

"Yeah, ADA MacDonald, please?" I asked.

"_May I tell her who's calling?"_ a woman replied.

"Yeah, tell her it's the cop that's got her witness" I replied. And I didn't have to wait long, in an instant a desperate voice came on the line.

"_MaCauley? Where are you? Where's my witness?"_ she demanded.

"I'm about seven blocks from you" I rushed, "But there's about a ton of cops between me and you, and they all want this kid dead. Not to mention the fact that you got a leak in your office. Someones talking to these cops"

"_Shit_" Came the fustrated reply. Frrustration welled up inside me too, the whole situation was getting out of control.

"Well what the hell did you think was gonna happen when you peddled Shue, huh? Did you think they we're all gonna just lay down and go away quietly?" I asked in disbelief.

MacDonald scoffed, "_We thought that if we went to the grand jury, Shue would fold. He bent, but didn't break. We were gonna throw it away until we ran into Edward Bunker last night_" she added desperately, "_Jury's tenure ends at 10. Without that kid…"_ she said leaving the sentence hanging. I knew very well what would happen if Eddie wasn't there.

"_Look_" she said, "_Where are you? I'll send my squad_"

I hastily gave her some details and hung up, I had a horrible feeling in my gut that told me something was wrong. Normally I ignored those feelings, as they tended to get me into more trouble, but this time I was compelled to follow them. Frank and the others were in the building, I didn't have time to think.

Eddie had finished talked to the old man and his attentions were back on me, "So what? Are they coming?" he asked.

I nodded, "Yeah, they're coming" I confirmed as I began rummaging through the old mans cupboards for some kind of antiseptic, the wound on my hand had stopped bleeding but it was now numb. I needed to make sure there wasn't any infection.

"Good. Because I gotta be somewhere. I got something to do" Eddie mumbled again.

I pushed aside several tins of noodle soup to find a half-empty bottle of antiseptic. Painfully I removed the hankerchief from my hand. The material stuck to my skin and would not pull away so easily. Eddie was at my side and wintched as I yanked the material away I picked up the bottle of antiseptic and poured the liquid on my hand, wincing at the pain. Next I turned on the taps in the sink and and held my bloody hand under the streaming water.

I reveled in the slight comfort and made sure all the blood was off of my hand before retying it with a dishcloth I saw next to the sink.

I saw a clothes rack next to the door with an assortment of jackets and shirts, I tossed a old checked shirt to Eddie and instructed he put it on.

"Dude! It's hot, that's a big wool shirt and it's Summer" he protested catching the shirt as I tossed it to him.

I glared at him, "You're dressed like a criminal" I stated, eying up his tattered work shirt and jeans.

"You want me to change? But why can't I put that on?" he asked indicating to another slightly more outrageous shirt.

"Look, whatever!" I huffed as he sorted through the old man's shirts and finally picked a plain blue shirt. As he began to button up his shirt he began to explain to me how he got into the cake business. I wasn't paying too much attention, but it was something about a fellow inmate who needed a cake for his daughter. I only noticed that his buttons were crooked.

"Come on, man" I moaned and pointed to his buttons. Eddie bashfully undid them and started again.

"Well cakes for kids is a good business, you know?" Eddie said, "You know, Bugs Bunny, Tweety Bird or Yu-Gi-Oh" he looked at me, "You ever heard of Yu-Gi-Oh?"

I starred at him in disbelief but the old man on the bed starting laughing, "Yu-Gi-Oh!" he called in amusement.

"You don't know Yu-Gi-Oh?" Eddie asked me, "You gotta get out more"

I shook my head but allowed a light smile just as Eddie put a baseball cap on his head, "How do I look?" he asked. I nodded; it was a damn sight more presentable then his old outfit.

"Look, we gotta go" I said and I nodded my thanks once more to the old man before we left the apartment.

"I'll got this way" I said, pointing to the nearest staircase. I jabbed my finger at the opposite staircase, "You go that way" and with that I pressed a gun into the mans hand and rushed off towards the staircase. I held the gun out in front of me as I turned the corner but instead came face-to-face with Frank Nugent. His pistol level with my head. My heart missed a beat.

Frank smiled triumphantly, "Put it down, Janie. Go on, put it down" he said softly, "Can't get lucky all the time" he added.

Slowly I lowered my gun and dropped it onto the floor before straightening up. Where the hell was Eddie? God, I hope he hadn't done another runner.

Frank walked towards me, his gun still raised but his eyes fixated on me, they we were smiling along with his lips, truiumpant even.

I found myself being pressed up against the wall, a deer caught in the headlights but Frank silently moved closer, I could feel his body heat, I could feel his eyes boring into mine, and my heart was racing.

He slammed a fist next to my head and leaned in to me. I tried to look away but he ducked his head to catch my eye. I looked up at him, trying not to look intimidated.

His face was barely an inch from my own as he seemingly breathed me in and smiled, "Things could have been different, Jane" he said and moved his hand away from the wall to twirl a lock of my hair around his finger "Don't get me wrong, I admire what you're doing for the kid, but I thought I was more important to you" he smiled. I starred up at him, my eyes watery with the effort of trying to stare him down.

"You're different" he chuckled, "You used be like a lost puppy" he whispered breathing me in again, "Now look at you. It's endeering"

But then I heard Eddie voice and the muzzle of his weapon pressed up against Frank's back.

"Back up" he said. Frank sighed as thought bored and moved away from me. I took a step forward and grabbed the gun away from Frank, pocketing it, he stared at me the whole time.

"Alright, give me the gun" I said to Eddie, holding my hand out.

"Hold on" Eddie said firmly, pushing Frank up against the wall so he faced him.

"What are you doing?" I demanded. Eddie pushed the muzzle of the gun up against Frank's collarbone, but no fear crossed the cops facade, instead he just starred impassively into Eddie's face. Booth seemed to be starring the other down.

"This place is crawling with cops, Eddie," I said, trying to snap the man out of it. Instead Eddie moved the pistol and pointed it at Frank's head, clicking back the hammer.

"Eddie? What are you doing?" I repeated more firmly. The last thing we needed was for Eddie to shot a cop, least of all Frank Nugent. With all my mixed feelings, I still did not want him dead.

Eddie glared into Frank's face, "How does it feel?" he asked.

I tried a new tact, "You're a baker right?" I asked

"Listen to her, Eddie" Frank said.

"Pull that trigger, Eddie, and you go to jail for life" I explained.

Something inside of Frank's jacket rang out and a voice called, '_Frank, we're on our way down_'. Thankfully something made Eddie dropped the weapon to his side. I snatched it away before he could take it back, but both Eddie and Frank continued to stare at one another.

"Time to go" I said, trying to pull Eddie away.

"You can't stop me" Eddie said into Frank's face, "You can't stop me"

Frank turned to face me, "You gave him a loaded weapon?" he asked disappointedly. I starred back at him, trying to force myself not to care. But he still had a hold over me and I think, from the twinkle in his eye, he knew that too, so I pulled his handcuffs from out of his jacket and tightened them round his wrists through a water pipe. He just starred at me the whole time, as if trying to unnerve me, but finally I looked away and pushed Eddie out of the building and back out into the busy streets of Chinatown.

I knew it wouldn't be long before the cops spilled out of the apartment block after us and sure enough at the end of the road, a few of them were scanning the pavement. I jerked Eddie around and we headed down another road just as a coach passed by. Sensing an opportunity I ran alongside it, slamming my fist against the door.

"Wait! Stop!" I shouted. The bus driver acknowledged us and opened the doors as he slowed down. Both of us jumped aboard and faced the interested faces of the passengers onboard.

"Keep moving" I ordered the driver, he put his foot on the accelerator as Eddie dived into the nearest seat. I stood near the driver and kept my head low, searching for any familiar faces. I saw two of them, two cops I had seen before running up behind us.

Shit, I thought and hastily pulled Frank's gun out of my pocket and dug it into the driver back. The black man looked down in alarm.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

"I'm a cop, lock the back door" I replied severely.

"Hey! She's got a gun!" A voice from behind me shouted. I looked over my shoulder and saw the man in the clean suit gripping a newspaper starring at me in horror. Everyone around me started screaming and panicking.

"Tell them to hang on to something Eddie!" I shouted back at him, Eddie got to his feet and tried to convince everyone to stay calm and that I was a cop, "Keep moving, no stops" I told the driver who nodded, a bead of sweat dropping from his brow. I felt sorry for these people, dragging them into my problems, but getting Eddie to court alive was more important right now.

The ride was crazy, the bus dived in-between cars and trucks, throwing us all about inside. I looked behind us and saw Frank's men pull back, unable to keep up with us, but I didn't let off, we needed to get as far away as possible, so the air was full of car horns and people screaming. Eddie had given up trying to calm the passengers so dived into his own seat.

Suddenly gunshots fired at the bus, causing more screams and shrieks. Bullet sparked and danced off the back of the bus until one struck home at a back wheel and exploded rocking the bus dangerously.

"Get down!" I shouted over the screams. People dived from the isles, their hands over their heads and tucking their knees in. I kept near the driver, giving him directions; we turned just as another bullet hit the other rear wheel causing the coach to buck again.

The driver shouted as a truck pulled out in front of us, he swerved to the side crashing into multiple parked cars and mounting the pavement. I held on for dear life as the driver swerved this way and that to avoid perdestrians as they dived out of the way. Finally we crashed through a building sight fence and halted before colliding with the building. The bus groaned and screeched to a stop, jolting everyone about.

"Get away from the bus!" Someone shouted outside. A cop. One of Frank's.

I got to my feet; all the passengers were still flat on the ground, "Stay down!" I instructed as another two shots rang through the air, flattening the last two tires. People screamed again until it fell silent outside.

I sat down beside the driver. I had gotten myself into a right load of shit. Not only had I put Eddie in danger, but now a whole bus full of people were trapped in this tin can. The guilt rose as I caught sight of a little girl sitting on her grandmother lap. _Oh God_.

I had to do something, I had to save these people. I was a cop, I had to use what I had been taught to make sure they got off safely, "Okay" I called over them, "Everyone, slowly get to your feet. They will not shoot you!" I ordered. Eddie made to get up but I pushed him back down, "Stay down" I hissed to him.

People began to rise hesitantly, I ordered them to stand near the windows, "Fill in the blanks!" I shouted, people pushed themselves up against the windows, sobbing and shaking as they did so. I kept down and looked out of the small window in the bus's door. Not far beyond the fence a police car pulled up and out came a rather ruffled Frank Nugent still chewing angrily on gum. His eyes caught mine and in that second I knew he was desperate now. He had lost control of the situation and it was about to get very public.

Frank began to talk to his team so I got to my feet and slowly made my way down the bus isle. I looked out of the window and saw a large clock face on the nearest building.

Nineteen minutes past nine. Fuck.

**-oOo-**

**A/N : I obviously added in the bit when Frank moves in on Jane. Hope it's realistic enough, let me know!**


	6. Wild Ride

**Chapter Five**

**Wild Ride**

**-oOo-**

Things were getting serious now. I could see through the gaps of bodies against the walls that the tactical teams were being brought in. Guns were being passed out, bullet proof vests, police cars with flashing lights and men in suits and brass.

I looked over at the man who had raised the alarm of my gun. His newspaper was lying on his seat as he glanced longingly out of the window. I told Eddie to grab it and pass the pages out.

"Now put the paper up against the windows" I instructed, the passengers all complied, taking a leaf and holding it up to the windows, darkening the inside of the coach, but at the same time preventing anyone from outside seeing me.

Eddie had found some tape and was sticking the paper against the windows, I glanced outside again and to my dismay saw Frank talking to the Captain. So that bastard was in on it too. I thought angrily.

Once the papers were attached to the windows, the passengers began to eye me up nervously. "It'll all be okay" I tried to reassure them, but I knew they didn't believe me. "I'm going to get you all out of here, please just move to the back of the bus"

"Jane!" I voice called through a megaphone from outside.

"The back of the bus" I instructed, "It's okay, you're going to get off the bus. I'm a police officer"

"Jane! It's Mike Sheeham for HNT" came the megaphone again. Timidly the passengers did as they were told and moved to the back of the bus, leaving only the driver, Eddie and myself at the front.

"We worked that barricade deal on the concourse a few years ago!" Sheeham called.

I recalled that time; it seemed light years ago now. Back then I was on the same end of that microphone as Sheeham.

"I'm going to put this thing down, okay?" he shouted and dropped the megaphone to the ground. I sat on one of the benches and looked at the terrified passengers.

"I'm sorry that I got you all into this" I muttered sincerely.

"Listen, Jane. No weapons! Look, I know you're on the job" Sheeham shouted, I looked at Eddie and instructed him to keep his head down. "You know the deal!" Sheeham added, "I'm just gonna step in here, nice and easy and hand you this phone so we can talk, okay? Make sure we got no injuries in there. Jane, just open the door, okay?" he added nearing the metal doors.

I nodded at the driver who pulled a stick, which allowed the doors to whoosh open.

"Just throw it Mike!" I instructed.

"Okay" Sheeham nodded and tossed the phone inside. I nodded at the driver who closed the door and then instructed him to join the others in the back of the bus just as the phone in my hand rang.

"Jane, can you hear me?" Sheeham asked, "How many people you got in there, Jane?"

I dropped the phone and turned to Eddie, "Count how people are in here," I ordered

I watched as Eddie went about counting all the raised hands, "Thirty-one" he called to me. I held the phone back up to my ear.

"Okay, we have forty people on the bus" Eddie frowned at me but I winked at him to let him know I knew what I was doing.

"Okay" Sheeham replied, "That's good. You know it's important that we're clear with each other, Jane. ESU and HNT are in place. The block is sealed, Jane, it's a frozen zone. So let's work this out so everybody can go home, all right?"

I was annoyed at the man's patronizing tone. As if I hadn't been in a hostage situation before, except I had always been on the outside, the cop dealing with the hostage taker, not the hostage taker itself. I hung up the phone.

I hung my head in defeat, what the hell were we going to do now? I looked up at Eddie whose expression mirrored mine. I didn't want him to know how helpless the situation was, he needed me and for some reason I wanted the faith he had in me.

But then he did something that surprised me; Eddie got to his feet and moved through the terrified and exhausted passengers to make sure everyone was okay, then his eye settled on the little Chinese girl sitting on her grandmother's lap. She was a sweet little thing, bright eyes, and dark silky hair and wore a cute little dress. I doubted anyone could pass her without a smile. I had always wished to have kids, but right now, it didn't look possible. I was almost positive the only way I was leaving the bus was in a body bag.

Eddie however sat opposite the little girl and smiled at her, in her innocence she smiled back, the grandmother protectively gripping the girl to her and starred suspiciously at the black man in front of her. Eddie, however, paid no heed.

Graciously he extended his arm and shook the little girls hand, "How are you?" he nodded politely, the little girl's smile brightened.

"My name's Eddie" he beamed, "What's your name?" he asked intrigued.

"Christina" she responded timidly, obviously still shaken up by the terrifying bus ride.

"Christina" Eddie repeated, "That's a pretty name. How old are you Christina?"

The little girl lifted her hands and held up seven digits, "Seven" she confirmed.

"Seven years old" Eddie smiled as he dug into his back pocket and pulled out his beloved book, "You know Christina, I love making cakes, do you like cake?"

The little girl nodded enthusiastically which made Eddie and few around him chuckle. I even smiled despite what was going on around me. Children were amusing in their blissful ignorance of the cruel world.

"You know my friend here, Jane" Eddie said pointing towards me, I fought back a blush as eyes turned to me, "She don't like a cake, isn't that weird?"

the little girl nodded and giggled again as Eddie flicked through his book, "I've got a strawberry recipe in here, let me see…" he said, skimming swiftly through the pages.

I was amazed by the sudden calmness that had come over the bus. Everyone had stopped screaming or panicking and were listening and watching intently as Eddie engaged this little girl in conversation, it was remarkable.

"Here we go" Eddie said, pulling the next page and showing it to the little girl, "See right here, on the top? I put a fan on the top. You know, like a Chinese fan, I can do that. When's your birthday?" he asked Christina.

"September 22nd" she replied.

"Oh! So that's soon" Eddie chuckled, "You gonna be eight years old, huh? That's gonna be a good day for you" he added.

"When's your birthday?" Christina asked, growing confident.

Eddie looked at her with a bashful smile, "Er, today actually" he replied. There was a quiet outbreak of gasps among the people. I was surprised at how quickly they had been taken with Eddie, but I was more surprised that he had left that information out since I had first met him. Why wouldn't he have told me? I guess he didn't have to, why would he think I'd care? The little girl and a few others wished him a happy birthday, Eddie nodded.

"Yeah, every day is somebody's birthday, you know. That's gonna be the motto for my shop" he smiled, "I didn't know my birthday was going to turn out like this, but you know…I'm glad to be alive, you know" he added.

I realised that wouldn't be the case if I didn't make a move soon, so while he kept talking to the passengers I picked up the phone and called Sheehan. His voice echoed right away.

"Right here" he answered.

"All right. This is what I want" I said, hearing as well as feeling the fatigue in my voice, "I want you to get me Assistant District Attorney MacDonald, a court stenographer and somebody from TV. Somebody that I would recognise. I want them to come on the bus and record sworn testimony and when I get what I want, I'll let everybody out. Safely" I finished.

"Jane" came the uncomfortable reply, "That's a tall order. It'll take some time-"

"Just do it" I ordered, "I'm not in the mood, okay? Get these people here in fifteen minutes or I'm gonna shoot these passenger one at a time and throw them out of the door" I added for effect, although I had no intention of killing anyone.

"Jane, be cool, okay?" Sheehan replied worryingly, "Let's not do anything rash, this thing can end without bloodshed. Okay? We can work th-"

"Fifteen minutes" I repeated and hung up. I opened the bus door and to show I meant business, threw out the phone, signifying there would be no more negotiations. Sore and tired and got to my feet and instructed the passengers to do the same, Eddie hurried up alongside me, confident that I had some kind of plan.

"Jane, what're you doing?" he asked as everyone slowly got out of their seats.

"I've gotta get these people of this bus" I certified. Eddie stayed put.

"But you just made you call. You called the DA and they said they'd come. Everbody's coming" he rushed.

"Nobody's coming, okay?" I replied, "Nobody's coming"

"What do you mean, nobody's coming?" Eddie demanded, panic rising in his voice.

I couldn't believe how ignorant this man was, but I had to remind myself that he was not in the force, he didn't know how this worked, I did. "They're gonna breach this bus in less then five minutes" I explained quietly, shock ran through Eddie's eyes, "They're gonna kill me, kill you-"

"Jane, what about testifying? We're right here, we can go, we can end this"

"Nobody's testifying," I interrupted, "It's all over, Eddie. We lose," I said. Unable to look into his sad puppy dog eyes, I looked over his shoulder and caught sight of the man who had shouted 'gun' earlier. I smirked causing the man to frown.

"But I've got an idea of how to get you out safely" I added.

It hadn't taken much to persuade the businessman to part with his suit, merely a wave of the gun did it and Eddie hurriedly got into the suit himself and smartened it down. I smiled; he finally got his goddamn suit, even if it did hang off his skinny frame a little. I smiled at him, "Time to go" and with that I pulled the door lever and told everyone to leave. There wasn't much hesitation, the passengers rushed for the door. Eddie still stood by men.

"Listen, when you get out there, it'll be hectic, but just keep moving. Keep moving" I ordered. He tried to argue but I shut him up with a glare and straightened his tie, "You look great" I smiled. And gently pushed him along with the surge of escaping passengers. With a sigh I slumped onto the drivers seat and after the last person had left, I closed the doors behind them left in the silence of loneliness. I lifted to my lips the Dictaphone the businessman had kept in his pocket.


	7. Confessions

**Chapter Six**

**Confessions**

**-oOo-**

"My name is Detective Jane McCauley. And I suppose this is my last will and testament. This is for my sister Diane. When this day is over, they will come to you and they will talk to you about this. But what they tell you isn't really what happened, so I hope that you get this and believe me when I say I was trying to do a good thing…"

"Don't shoot!" I heard a voice shout. Suddenly a ruckus exploded outside. People were shouting and screaming, I lowered the Dictaphone and kept my eyes and trained my gun on the door. Where they coming for me now? What was going on?

"Don't shoot! Hold your fire! Don't shoot!" Someone was shouting and then a banging against the bus door joined the shouts, "Jane! Jane, it's me! Jane McCauley!" and through the gap in the door, a red book was waving at me, "It's me, Eddie, Jane!"

Quickly I opened the doors, frowning with shock. What the hell was he doing? Eddie stumbled on board out of breath, "Chuck Berry" he said simply.

I shook my head and gaped at him.

"Chuck Berry" he repeated, "He got locked up for armed robbery. He changed. He changed," he wheezed.

I continued to gape.

"Barry White. He stole 300 tires. Can you picture big Barry White stealing 300 tires?" he laughed, "But he changed. You said people don't change. People change!"

I finally found my voice, "Eddie"

"What?" he asked.

"You're killing me," I said with a hint of a smile on my face. This man was insane! But something inside of me opened, something that had kept my true self locked away. Eddie had come back for me; he had risked his life to come back. What did that mean? Who gave a shit? It meant for once, I had a true friend and who would have thought it would be an ex-con who wanted to open a bakery who I had known for a few hours. But hey, that was how it was going to play. Suddenly my hope was renewed and with a smile I turned on the ignition and heard the bus rumble back into life, Eddie smiled and held onto my seat tightly. I slammed down my foot and the bus lurched forward, I couldn't see where we were going because of the newspapers taped to the windows, but we were moving and I could almost see the shocked and confused faces of all the policemen outside.

I ripped at the paper in front as someone smashed a window at the back of the bus, I heard something clunk against the floor. Shit! Flash grenade.

"Eddie! Head down, cover your ears and eyes!" I ordered and ducked my own head as an explosive ripped through the bus. I felt the blast through my bones and my eyes blurred slightly despite clenching them tightly, also an uncomfortable ringing shot through my ears, but I slammed the accelerator and pressed on. I turned the steering wheel down another road and ploughed into several patrol cars at the same time, policemen scatter about, trying to escape the bus' path. Eddie grunted as he was thrown to the side and gunfire shot out at the front of the bus, I ducked as bullets wizzed over my head, shattering the windscreen. Bullets ricocheted off the metal but I managed to grab the steering wheel and give it one hard yank to the side, swerving the bus left down a narrow alleyway. The bus only got so far though before it was pin against the walls and stopped.

I looked around and saw Eddie on the ground, breathing deeply I grabbed him and opened the doors. "Come on Eddie" I wheezed, trying to drag us both out of the door and into the nearby building just as another flash bang went off back in the bus.

We ducked through the empty corridors of what appeared to be an office complex, there were a pair of glass doors straight ahead which I dragged Eddie through, followed by the suspicious glare of the blonde receptionist. We went back out on the street, marching along the pavement as sirens rang out everywhere. I kept my head down, but at the same time wanted to look around to make sure we weren't being followed.

"Hey, Jane. Listen to me" Eddie said, struggling to keep up, his voice distinctly distant, "Jane I wanna tell you something" he added leaning into me. Something was wrong. The red book fell out of Eddie's hands to the ground, I bent over to pick it up and saw the familiar red of blood on it. Desperately I pulled Eddie's blazer open and saw to my horror a bullet wound on the far left of his chest, just below the heart.

"Christ" I muttered and pulled Eddie along with me allowing him to lean on my shoulder. I pulled him to the side outside a closed shop, a man stood nearby with a mobile pressed up against his ear.

"Hey, sir. I'm a cop, alright" I flashed my badge as Eddie leaned against the store. "Look, I need your phone for a minute" I said taking it from him without an answer.

"Look what they did to my suit, man" Eddie mumbled, checking out his wound. I recognised the signs of shock, I needed help right away and there was only one person I could trust to do that.

"I told you, you were gonna get me shot" Eddie moaned as I dialled a number. A tired voice answered.

"It's me. I need your help," I said desperately.

In no time the call was ended as I helped Eddie hobbled along the road and down another alleyway. We pushed past a set of steel gates and back behind a block of apartments.

"All this started because my friend Maurice came by my house" Eddie mumbled as I kicked open another set of gates, "He got a shoebox, he got a gun. He said 'hold this for me for a little while' I was like 'I'm on parole' he like, 'me too'" He laughed, "Next day, somebody shot him. Thirty-two thousand dollars in the shoebox"

I pulled him over to a pile of squashed cardboard boxes that had been dumped under a fire escape staircase. Gently I put him down, "That's a sign, huh?" he asked.

"Yeah" I humoured him "It's a very big sign. Easy, easy" I said as I lowered him. Eddie groaned in pain. I tucked Frank's gun in my waistband.

"You know how much it gonna take me to open the bakery?" Eddie asked from his makeshift bed, I starred at him, "Thirty one thousand dollars" he smiled, "Jane, I got so nervous, I ran out of the house, I went to Port Authority and I put the money in a locker" as he continued to talk, I pushed his jacket aside and looked at the wound. It looked deep and was expelling a lot of blood. He needed to go to hospital fast.

"I got back to my house" he explained, "and my parole officer's there, in my house. He got Maurice's gun in his hand and he looking at me like 'That's it, Eddie' and he's talking about 15 years. I got so sick, then the DA came to my cell" he said, wiping his brow with the sleeve of the suit, "…and showed me the picture of that cop, then I met you," he said with a smile.

I looked down at him, feeling that Eddie was going to give up, going to accept death. But I wasn't ready for that. I hadn't risked my ass for him to die.

"They clear those lockers out every twenty-four hours, Jane. I had a little schedule going. Court at ten. Port Authority at twelve…" he faltered, his eyes closing.

"Hey!" I cried, "Hey, look at me. Wake up" I ordered, "You ain't gonna die on me, are you?" I asked with a small laugh.

Eddie opened his eyes and gazed up at me, "I don't know. I never died before" he smiled.

"Well, it's not gonna happen today" I reassured him and on a deeper level, myself as well.

That was when the ambulance drove round the corner and silently came to a stop a few yards away. My sister, Diane jumped out of the passenger seat in her uniform and fixed me with a disapproving stare. Big sister. I smiled, always came to save the day.

"Thanks for coming" I said, Diane looked at me.

"What's going on?" she asked, stretching the medical gloves tighter over her hands.

"Look" I said, as she got closer to see the wound, "Shot here. I think it went in and out"

Diane fingered the wound a little, "Yeah. Let's get him in" she instructed. I took one of Eddie's arms and rested it over my shoulder while my sister took the other. Eddie winced as he got to his feet but he looked at Diane as if he recognised her.

"Hey. I know you," he said.

"Come on" I pushed.

"There's a picture at Jane's house" he wheezed as we hauled him up into the back of the ambulance. Diane's partner took over and gently went about helping Eddie onto the bed. Diane glared at me.

"The police grilled me for an hour at the hospital" she snapped

"What did you say to them?" I asked, rolling my sore shoulder back and forth to ease the cramping.

"That you're a self-medicating, depressed individual. And you don't care about anything or anyone" she replied, slapping me on the arm.

Eddie laughed, "Oh, she's honest, straightforward. That's sexy, I like that!" he chimed. I glared at him. Diane fired another dirty look before she hoisted herself into the back of the van. I followed, closing the doors behind me and taking a seat near them. Diane began to tend to Eddie's wound.

"What did you do this time, Jane?" she asked with a hint of a laugh. But it was Eddie who replied.

"She saved my life a couple of times" he replied in all seriousness, "She's a good person" he added, starring directly into Diane's eyes. She smiled and looked back at me.

"Eddie, this is my sister Diane. Diane, this is my friend, Eddie" I said.

Diane scoffed, "Friend? Well that's a first" I ignored her.

"I got a sister too," Eddie mumbled as Diane ripped open his shirt, "But she lives in Seattle. I was supposed to go out there and start my bakery, I was supposed to go out there today and see her," he added as Diane and her partner began sealing the wound with gauze and tape. She looked at me.

"Look, I can stop the bleeding, but he's gotta get stitched up, he gotta get to a hospital" said Diane.

I checked my watch, "We gotta be at the courthouse in less then 20" I replied urgently, "You're gonna have to do it" I added. Diane turned back to her patient with a huff and lifted his lids to check his pupils.

"You're gonna be fine, Eddie. It's not as bad as it looks" she smiled down on him then looked back at me. Her eyes caught sight of my bloody bandaged hand.

"What happened to you?" she asked exasperated. I chuckled.

"I've gotta ask you one more favour" I asked, "Just a little favour" I smiled.

It occurred to me that Frank would still be having my sister tailed, so she called for another ambulance. Once Eddie and I were bundled in, I thanked my sister and let her on her way while Eddie and I headed towards the courthouse.

Eddie lay quietly on his back, his shirt removed and his arm in a makeshift sling. I sat next to him, cradling my newly bandaged hand. But something was preying on my mind. I looked at Eddie; he seemed responsive enough to talk.

"Is today really your birthday?" I asked.

Eddie laughed and shook his head, "No. I just said that because the little girl, she was all scared" he replied, "She was cute"

"When is your birthday?" I asked. Trying to keep him awake and in conversation. And also because I was actually curious.

"I don't know" Eddie replied. My eyes widened in surprise.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" I asked with a smile.

"No, for real. I don't know. I came up in foster care. Had a lot of birthdays" There was a sad tone in his voice.

"But didn't you say you got a sister right? That you're going to see?" I asked. Eddie nodded with a smile.

"Yeah, I just found out about her a couple of months ago. I raised an eyebrow.

"You've never met your sister?"

"That's why I'm going out to Seattle to meet her" Eddie replied, "I'm looking forward to it" he added thoughtfully. I smiled.

"Maybe she turns out to look like Angelina Jolie" I laughed, Eddie joined in.

"Shit, if she do, I hope she ain't my sister!" he joked, but then he looked at me with all seriousness on his face, "Hey, Jane. You never told me, what do you want on your cake? I gotta send you one"

"I don't want no cake, Eddie," I breathed, the smile vanishing from my face. Why did he persist with this damn cake?

"Damn it, Jane. Come on-"

"Hey" I interrupted, "I can't thing of anything that has happened in my life that I would want written on a cake"

"Nothing?" Eddie asked sadly. I saw the disappointment in his eyes, he was imploring me to open up and for some reason I felt that I owed him some kind of explanation.

"I'm not a good person, Eddie," I said quietly, ashamed to look him in the eye, "I'm not a good person" I repeated.

Eddie starred at me for a second or two, before he shook his head, "Yeah, me neither" he scoffed.

We began to feel the ambulance slow down to a stop, I looked questionable at Eddie surprised that we were already at the courthouse, but the driver, one of my sisters friends, opened the rear door and sighed, "Sorry, this is as close as I can get you" he explained.

"Thanks" I smiled and closed the door as he returned to the cab. Eddie began to try and get out of the bed.

"Come on then, let's go," he breathed. I held out my hands to stop him.

"No, hey. Hold on" I instructed, getting him to lie back down again, "This is far as you go too," I explained.

"Come on, Jane. I don't-" he pressed but I interrupted him again.

"Listen to me Eddie" I said sharply, Eddie frowned at me.

"What?" he asked.

"Listen. Those guys you were gonna testify again…" I started, Eddie nodded, "…those cops"

"Yeah" said Eddie.

"Well the one you held the gun to is one of them, and Eddie, I knew the whole time what he was doing" I said, "But I didn't tell, I didn't stop him because…because I was in love with him" I added, feeling the shame in my voice, but I pulled my head up and looked into Eddie's eyes, but all I saw was a deep understanding and sympathy which allowed me to continue, "I wish I'd had the courage to do what you were going to do right now. I'm sorry" I finished.

"You know" Eddie said, "If you didn't come to get me today, I'd be dead right now, so…" he trailed. I felt truly overwhelmed. Eddie didn't judge me, he didn't cast me out, and he respected me, the first after so long.

"I was supposed to meet you" I smiled, "That was the sign. You saved my life, Eddie"

Eddie nodded his head, emotion swimming about in his eyes as he realised this was goodbye. I reached my hand out, "Take care of yourself," I said.

Eddie took my hand and shook it, "Thank you" he whispered as I got to my feet.

"Make cakes, Eddie the baker," I laughed as I opened the rear door and hopped out into the blinding sun. But there was one more thing I had to say, something that subconsciously I had been thinking about all day.

"By the way, you give the car keys to your best friend and let him take the old lady to the hospital. You stay at the bus stop with the love of your life, because that's what they are, right? The love of your life" I said. Eddie laughed and joviously nodded his head.

"Yeah" he chuckled.

"Have fun in Seattle. Say 'hi' to your sister for me" I said finally as I closed the door, probably never to see Eddie ever again.

The paramedic stepped out of the cab aware that I wanted to talk to him, he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "Get him to the Port Authority, make sure he gets on that bus" I explained. I saw his name tag red 'Carl'.

"No problem" he said

"Thanks, Carl" I said, gratefully patting him on the arm and watched as he stepped back into the ambulance and slowly pulled away to join the rest of the later morning traffic.

I turned and looked up at the courthouse. Frank's men were swarming over the place, so the only option I had of entering the building alive was to go through the back car park and up the rear lift into the lobby. Slowly I hobbled down the street, a sense of peace settled in. I was going to do the right thing, for Eddie, for myself. Frank would never love me, I had come to realise that now, but that did not effect the fact that he had done wrong. And it was my duty to do what I had to do. What I was now prepared to do, against my ex-partner, my mentor and my supposed friend.

Like a zombie I strolled between the aisles of cars in the dirty, dank dark of the underground car park. No one was around; the only sounds came from the roll of the cars above me and the singular water drops that fell from the ceiling. The silence certainly unnerved me as I looked ahead and found my way blocked by none other then Frank Nugent. Oh, the irony!

He stood there, his legs apart, gun resting in his right hand, a smile on his face. I stepped forward but stopped a good few feet away. I could see his jaw working on the chewing gum.

"Hell of a morning, huh?" he asked.

I put my good hand in my pocket and felt the Dictaphone under my fingers, instantly I pushed the record button.

"Where's the witness?" Frank asked, tucking his own spare hand in his blazer pocket.

"You're looking at her," I said with a small smile. Frank chuckled as he registered what I had just told him. Whether or not he believed I would betray him, I don't know, but he gave nothing away with his cold eyes. He cocked his head.

"I let Eddie go, Frank," I explained, though I'm sure I didn't need too. Frank was smart; he would figure it all out on his own, "You're not going to get to him now"

Frank shook his head, a smile playing on his arrogant face, "Bullshit" he said. I shrugged, enjoying his ignorance. "So…" he muttered, pointing up at the ceiling, "What do you think you're gonna tell them?" he asked, "Are you gonna tell them everything? You gonna tell them how you withheld all this for months? Will that make you feel better?" he added sharply.

I shook my head, "Nothing's gonna make me feel better" I said quietly. Right now I felt dead again. I was going to betray Frank and a number of cops. Bad cops, yes. But cops all the same. I would never see Eddie again and I would most likely end up in trouble for keeping all of Frank's misdemeanours quiet for so long. I had been there, I had watched what he had done, I had heard what he had done. But something, deep inside would always care for this man; I would have to live with that.

"Then why?" Frank asked bewildered, "Look Jane. You and me, we made a good team, a good partnership. You never complained, it never bothered you when we cleared the tough cases. But now…" he sighed, tapping the muzzle of his gun on his thigh.

"It did bother me Frank," I snapped, "But the only reason I covered for you was because…" I faltered; closing my eyes from having to admit the feelings I had been fighting against for so long.

A slow smile crossed Frank's face; "Because you love me?" he finished.

I opened my eyes, feeling strange and vulnerable, just like I had all those months ago when I had first opened up my heart to this man.

"It's not the point!" I snapped, "I was wrong, I shouldn't have let you and other get away with it, and I will have to live with the consequences just as you will!" I yelled.

Frank chewed on his gum but remained quiet, I could see the cogs rolling in his head, I could see the difficult choices he had to choose.

"I know what you're thinking," I said calming, "You're thinking you're gonna shoot me down here, nobody knows, nobody cares" I sighed, cocking my head, "Like the Ling family, huh?" I asked.

Frank's amused expression suddenly turned cold, "He was a stupid old man who wouldn't keep his mouth shut" he said, jabbing a finger at me, "All right, so I stuck a gun in some guy's mouth, he had a heart attack. So what?" he asked.

"So what?!" I breathed in disbelief.

"Look, if it hadn't happened the way that it did, if he hadn't died, you would've been patting me on the back, saying 'good job'. Collateral damage, it is a fact of life in this business" he explained desperately.

I shook my head, recalling the old man lying on the ground, his family weeping around him. I stood in shock, watching as Frank, Shue and a few other detectives began to cover up the evidence.

"He took his last breaths while you were wiping the fingerprints off the room" I whispered.

"He was gonna take down our case" Frank snapped.

"He was an innocent man" I replied

"He was gonna take down our case" repeated Frank.

"He was somebody's husband"

"He was gonna take down our case!"

"He was somebody's father"

"He was gonna take down our case!" Frank yelled loudly, "What were we supposed to do?" he demanded.

"He wanted to tell the truth," I cried.

"Fuck the truth!" Frank finally yelled so loud his voice reverberated around us, silencing me for good. That was what the DA would want to hear. But deep inside I cringe. Frank had just incriminated himself.

We stood for a second or two just starring at one another.

"Right" I whispered, he continued to stare at me and I realised just how far he was willing to go to keep himself out of jail. I probably wasn't going to make it through the rest of the day, but in my pocket was the evidence to make sure that Frank didn't either.

I turned to the lift, slowly padding my way over to it and hit the button. I could feel Frank's eyes on my back, the doors pinged and I stumbled it, pressing for the lobby. Surprised that Frank hadn't put a bullet in the back of my head by now.

In a death like state, I just looked at the reflection of myself in the metallic walls. I looked paler then usual, my eyes were heavy and blood were splatter up my neck and across my shirt. My hand was roughly bandaged, but blood was still pooling around the bullet wound through my palm. I dragged my good hand through my hair and sighed.

In a few minutes it would all be over; I'll either be dead, or sent to prison. Either way this was not going to end well for me. I could only hope that somewhere, Eddie was safe and already thinking up of new cake designs for his bakery.

**A/N : Only 2 more chapters left and still no reviews :(**


	8. Betrayal and Retribution

**Chapter Seven**

**Betrayal and Retribution**

**-oOo-**

The lift doors finally opened and I stepped out, a shocked old lady saw the blood on my shirt and stumbled backwards with her hand over her mouth. Too tired to even explain the situation to her, I stumbled out of the lift and into the lobby, my eyes lazily grazing over the small amount of people casually going about their daily business.

Tired, upset and broken I made my way towards the reception desk, but a cop shifting through some papers saw me first causing him to rush into action. He pulled his walkie-talkie to his mouth as he pulled his gun out with his other hand.

"MaCauley's in the building!" he yelled, "Get the ADA, freeze!" he shouted at me.

I stifled a defeated laugh; I couldn't believe this, yet another gun was being pointed at me by another fricking cop. Was this ever going to end? I continued to stumble forward, raising my hands.

"Don't shoot" I said as another cop rushed down the hallway stairs to join the other, tugging his own pistol from its holster.

"Don't move, down on your knees!" he yelled.

"I'm not armed" I replied, "Don't shoot!"

"Down on your knees" I was ordered again, but I was in no mood for this typical, procedural bullshit.

"Just call ADA MacDonald, please, on the radio," I asked, resting my hands on the back of my head. I was relieved to see at least one of the cops shouting into his walkie-talkie for MacDonald as the other kept ordering me to the ground.

People all around were panicking and running for the doors or crouching to the ground for cover. I saw a sniper rush up to the banister at the top of the staircase.

"Don't shoot me," I repeated, keeping my arms raised. Worried I was going to take a bullet. I even recognised the cop who was calling for MacDonald. It was Pete Simmons. Shit I'd had a beer with him only a week ago at a leavers party.

"Jane, come on!" he ordered, still levelling the pistol at my head.

I heard the rapid clicking of high heeled shoes as MacDonald came into view screaming my name. She was a small woman, towered by the three, armed guards that followed her.

"Where's my witness?" she demanded as she skidded to a stop near Pete Simmons, "Where' s Edward Bunker?" she added with an angry flare in her eye.

"He didn't make it" I replied quietly, lowering my hands to my side, then I took a deep breath, preparing myself for what I was about to say, "But I'm gonna take his place" I said.

It was followed by a silence that rang in my ears like a gunshot. Everyone looked at me with confusion on their faces, but then MacDonald's looked angry again.

"Please lower your weapons" I pleaded, looking directly into MacDonald's eyes, wishing to see the seriousness in my command, wishing her to give me a goddamn break.

Then her face softened and she looked around at the armed police, "Hold your fire and stand down," she ordered. I took a tedious step forward as the police lowered their weapons and took several steps back, but still cautiously eyed me.

"I have information…" I wheezed, cradling my hand as it began to ache with pain again, "…regarding your ongoing witness-tampering investigation. Dates, cases that include extortion, manslaughter and possible homicide. All involving members of the 14th Precinct. These charges include Captain Dan Gruber, Detective Jerry Shue, Edward Maldonado, Robert Torres, Jim Mulvey and Detective Frank Nugent" I finished, feeling my throat close up and feel extremely dry.

There, I had done it, now for the evidence.

"What's this about, MaCauley? What do you want?" MacDonald demanded, confusion all over her face.

I smiled, picturing one man, with that bald brown head, that annoying witting voice and that big heart.

"I want Edward Bunker's record expunged" I replied.

"Done" MacDonald said quickly, "Anything else?" she asked.

I thought for a second. I could ask for anything, dare I ask for my own immunity from the charges I was about to make, for all the people I was about to put away? No. I would suffer too, for not saying anything as I heard of Frank's crimes, as I watched in horror as he dishonoured his badge. I had to pay for being silent.

"Nothing else" I breathed.

"You can substantiate all of this, MaCauley?" she asked.

I nodded and went to reach into my pocket for the Dictaphone. Suddenly all hell broke loose. Someone behind me yelled 'gun!' just as a shot went out overhead. Screams broke out and everyone, including myself fell to the ground.

I rolled over and saw to my astonishment, Bobby Torres, lying on the lobby floor, a pistol in his hand and blood pooling around his shoulder. I pulled myself to my knees and saw the sniper at the top of the staircase lower his gun, the muzzle emitting a small wisp of smoke.

I looked further behind Torres, beyond the lifts and saw Frank jog into the lobby, his eyes fixed on Torres' still form. Instantly I pushed the play button on the Dictaphone, in case Frank had any other plans to take me out before I had a chance to take him with me.

'_I know what you're thinking'_ my voice said _'You're thinking you're gonna shoot me down here, nobody knows, nobody cares. Like the Ling family, huh?'_

'_He was a stupid old man who wouldn't keep his mouth shut. All right, so I stuck a gun in some guy's mouth, he had a heart attack. So what?'_

'_So what?!'_

I slowly got to my feet while the tape played for all to hear. Frank and I looked at one another. He knew it was over, I knew it was over. But his stare would haunt me forever. I had betrayed him, that was it. But Eddie was free, Eddie was safe from him. And finally I could let go all my insecurities. As I looked at Frank, I knew he had no control over me anymore.

I turned to look at MacDonald and handed her the tape just as Frank's voice shouted '_He was gonna take down our case'_. She reached out and took it, holding it in her hand like a priceless artefact and switched it off.

I turned again to Frank and shook my head, signifying that there was now, nothing he could do. He gritted his teeth and stalked out of the lobby. I knew he wouldn't get far before someone grabbed him. I felt a hand on my arm.

"Let's get you to the jury" a voice said, and I found myself behind led away to do the one thing that I should have done long ago, before I met Eddie Bunker.

**A/N : Only one chapter left, anyone like this story? Worse or better then the film? Let me know.**


	9. Two Years

**Chapter Eight**

**Two Years**

**-oOo-**

It should have been three years, but after two I had been released on good behaviour and on my birthday no less. Diane had come to pick me up from the prison; she instantly berated me for not eating properly. I had hardly sustained much of an appetite behind bars and found myself exercising most of the day to put my mind away from the reason I was there and from the people I was surrounded by. But now I was free but in a way I didn't feel like I had my freedom back.

More then once a month I thought of Frank, wondered what he was doing, wondering if he had even thought of me since his arrest. Probably he did, but only about putting a bullet between my eyes. I know what I had done would bite me in the ass one day, whether it was in five years or a decade, I had never found out how much time Frank and his friends had been given to serve, and I had no intention too, I just wanted to turn a new page in my book. And it started today, on my birthday.

Diane pulled into the familiar car park of Dominic's Bar. I looked over at my sister who was trying by failed to hide a smile from her face. I shook my head but smiled all the same. What was she up too?

I found out ten minutes later. Dominic's Bar was closed early, but there were still lights on through the window. Diane had organised a birthday party.

In next to no time I found myself sat around the table with the only few people who had stuck by me through the whole ordeal. I know it was cliché, but you really found out who were your true friends when something like this happened. In my case, it was my sister Diane, Paul Richards from criminology class, Dominic from the bar, William Edinburgh from homicide and finally Grace who I was going to make an effort of getting to know.

Welcome back, Jane" Dominic smiled, gently placing a large cake, thick with a forest of candles in front of me.

"Are you kidding me?" I chuckled, there were double the amount of candles there should have been. I was thirty-five for Christ's sake!

"Two years in the pen is enough" Dominic added, giving me a brief sympathetic smile which all the faces around the table seemed to mirror.

"Thanks for that memory. Thank you" I laughed as Dominic rubbed my shoulder.

"Happy Birthday Jane!" Everyone cheered around me. Diane leaned forward with a smile.

"Welcome home" she said quietly "Blow them out"

"I hate birthdays. You know that right?" I asked with a sly grin but enthusiastically blew out all the candles in one blow.

"Happy Birthday!" Everyone cheered again with a great wave of applause. It was only then, once the flames had disappeared that I realised something was written on the surface of the large chocolate cake. I found myself smiling.

Chuck Berry

Barry White

Eddie Bunker

Jane McCauley

People Can Change…

A bubble of emotion caught in my throat. Eddie…

Diane shifted her hand from her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, "This came with it" she said, handing it to me with a smile.

Hesitantly I took it, immediately finding myself being thrown back into the past. Meeting Eddie for the first time, shooting Shue, getting shot at by Frank…

I lifted the letter to read it better.

_Dear Jane McCauley,_

_I hope you're doing well and everything worked out like it was supposed to. _

_I'm doing great. Seattle is different, and I like it a lot. I'm not sure I ever smelled fresh air before I got here. It's a trip. Sometimes I can't believe it. It's the best feeling I've had in my life. I'm busting my ass, but I'm happy though._

_The bakery is now open. Three cheers!_

I took a moment to look at the photo attached, and there, in black and white, in front of his bakery, Eddie stood proudly in his chefs whites. I had never seen a bigger smile cross his face. And behind him in big letters read the words 'Eddie & Jane's' Good Sign Bakery'. I chuckled and returned to the letter.

_I put my name first because I'm doing all the hard work, these oven's are hot, man. _

_Hope you like the cake. What did I tell you? If you're ever in town, you got a friend. Thank you for doing the right thing, Jane McCauley. God bless you._

_Keep in touch. Peace._

_Happy Birthday Jane._

And after reading that letter, I know it would be.

**THE END**

**-oOo-**

**Festera - Thanks for the review! I really wanted to find a 16 Block fan fic but I couldn't either so I just wrote my own. I might do a sequel, for when Frank get's out of jail which would be interesting. But thanks again for reading!**


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